After storm damage in Norwich, we provide 2-4 hour make-safe from £150, then full documentation for your insurance claim — photographs, a written assessment linking the damage to the weather event, an
After storm damage in Norwich, we provide 2-4 hour make-safe from £150, then full documentation for your insurance claim — photographs, a written assessment linking the damage to the weather event, and support notifying your insurer. We guide you through the claims journey from make-safe to permanent repair. Call 0160 339 6191.
When a storm damages your Norwich roof, two things matter: stopping the water fast, and documenting the damage properly for your insurance claim. We provide both. Our emergency make-safe reaches you within 2-4 hours, 24/7, from £150 — stopping ingress before it wrecks ceilings and possessions. Then, distinct from a straightforward emergency call, we handle the insurance side: photographing the damage, writing an assessment that links it to the specific weather event, and supporting you through notifying your insurer and progressing the claim to permanent repair.
In the first 24 hours after storm damage, three steps protect both your home and your claim. First, photograph all visible damage from safe ground level before anything is moved or made safe — multiple angles, close and wide. Second, mitigate further damage: move possessions, contain water, and call us for make-safe — insurers expect you to take reasonable steps to limit the loss. Third, notify your insurer promptly and quote the date so it can be cross-referenced with Met Office weather data. Do not climb onto a storm-damaged roof yourself; that is what our make-safe is for.
The quality of documentation determines the speed and outcome of a storm-damage claim more than almost anything else. Before make-safe work begins we photograph the damage in position; if tiles or materials have fallen, we photograph them where they landed before moving them. We then provide a written assessment describing the damage and linking it to the specific weather event, cross-referenced to Met Office data for your Norwich postcode on that date. This is precisely the evidence insurers require, and we provide it as standard on every storm call-out — many general roofers do not.
Insurers generally define a storm by wind speeds of around 55mph or more (Beaufort force 10), and damage claims are assessed against verified weather data for the date and location.
— ABI storm definition
Norwich and Norfolk are exposed to north-easterly gales sweeping in off the North Sea from October to March — the wind direction that does most roof damage here, lifting ridge caps, loosening tiles already weakened by nail sickness, and blowing out lead flashings. Coastal-influenced gusts reach the city with little to slow them across the flat Norfolk landscape. Exposed elevations, tall stacks and roofs already compromised by age or poor maintenance take the worst of it. After a named storm we prioritise make-safe calls across the city and surrounding villages.
For larger claims — typically above £3,000-5,000 — your insurer may appoint a loss adjuster to assess the damage. The loss adjuster works for the insurer, not for you. Having our independent written assessment, with photographs and a specific description linking damage to the weather event, gives you a solid basis for the claim that the adjuster must address. If the adjuster's figure is well below our repair quote, you can request a line-by-line explanation. We are experienced in providing the documentation that supports a fair settlement, and we liaise with adjusters where helpful.
The make-safe stops the immediate damage; the permanent repair restores the roof properly and is usually the substance of the insurance claim. Once the roof can be assessed safely we quote the permanent repair in writing, itemised to match what the insurer needs. The make-safe cost is credited against the permanent repair. We can carry out the permanent work once the claim is approved, matching materials to your Norwich property — period pantile, Welsh slate or concrete tile — and backing it with our 10-year workmanship guarantee.
The pattern of storm damage in Norwich is predictable enough that we know what to expect after a named storm. High winds lift and displace ridge and hip tiles, blow slipped or nail-sick tiles clean off, and peel back lead flashings and ridge caps. Driving rain forces water under displaced coverings and through any weakness the wind has opened. Falling branches from the city's mature tree canopy puncture coverings directly. On flat roofs, wind gets under loose edge trims and lifts the covering. Chimney stacks and TV aerials come down in the worst gales. Each of these is a repair we carry out routinely, and each needs documenting properly for the insurance claim.
While no roof is entirely storm-proof, a well-maintained one survives Norfolk gales far better than a neglected one. The tiles that blow off in a storm are almost always the ones already loosened by nail sickness or slipped and left unfixed. Ridge and verge tiles bedded in failed mortar are the first to go; mechanically fixed dry-ridge and dry-verge systems hold. Sound, well-fixed lead flashings stay put where perished ones peel back. A pre-winter inspection that re-fixes loose tiles, checks the ridge and flashings, and clears the gutters dramatically reduces storm-damage risk. We would always rather secure a roof before the storm than repair it after — it is cheaper and far less disruptive for you.
Storms often expose a roof problem that was building for years, and how that is handled matters for your claim. Insurers cover sudden storm damage but not gradual wear or poor maintenance, so when a gale blows off tiles that were already loosened by nail sickness, the situation needs careful, honest assessment. We document what the storm did versus what was pre-existing, which protects you from a claim being rejected as wear-and-tear and helps you understand the true condition of your roof. Sometimes the honest conclusion is that a roof storm-damaged on top of widespread underlying failure is better replaced than repaired — and where that is the case, we set out the position clearly so you and your insurer can reach the right decision rather than papering over a roof that will fail again in the next gale.
Free survey and written quote — no call-out fee, no obligation
📞 Call 0160 339 6191A live leak needs stopping now, not a form. If water is coming in, call — we aim to be on site within 2–4 hours. This section is about knowing when it is a genuine emergency.
When it is not the answer: If there is no active water ingress and the roof is stable, it is not an emergency — book a normal survey and save the emergency call-out fee. We will tell you honestly if it can wait. Read the full guide.
Call and describe the problem; we prioritise emergency calls and aim to attend within 2–4 hours, 24/7.
We assess the damage safely and identify the source of the ingress.
We carry out immediate make-safe — temporary weatherproofing — to stop the water entering.
Once the roof can be assessed properly we quote the permanent repair, crediting the make-safe cost against it.
| Job | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Attend on site | 2–4 hours, 24/7 |
| Make-safe | Same visit |
| Permanent repair quote | Within a day or two |
| Storm-damage documentation | Same visit, for insurers |
Severe storms mean high demand — we triage by severity and reach active-ingress emergencies first.
Emergency make-safe is done from the safest available access; a full scaffold for the permanent repair follows once the roof is stabilised. Scaffold is specified for: the permanent repair stage — make-safe uses the fastest safe access available - always itemised in your written quote, never a hidden extra, and we arrange it.
Norwich’s medieval core and Golden Triangle terraces mean tight street frontages, rear-access-only roofs and permit-controlled pavement space for scaffold. Pavement scaffold and skip permits go through Norwich City Council; allow a few working days on streets like Elm Hill, Magdalen Street, Gentleman’s Walk where space is tight.
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency make-safe | From £150 | 2–4hr response, 24/7 |
| Temporary weatherproofing | From £150 | Tarpaulin / boarding |
| Make-safe credited vs repair | Deducted | Off the permanent repair |
| Permanent repair | From £150 | Quoted after make-safe |
| Storm-damage documentation | Included | For your insurer |
Worked example: A storm make-safe on a Sprowston semi after ridge tiles blew off, attended within two hours: £180 make-safe, credited against the permanent repair.
Emergency make-safe is charged on completion; the cost is credited against the permanent repair. No large deposits. VAT confirmed in writing.
Covering NR1, NR2, NR3, NR4, NR5, NR6, NR7 and surrounding postcodes.
The make-safe is a temporary measure; the permanent repair that follows carries the full 10-year written workmanship guarantee.
If a fault appears in covered work, we come back and put it right. No quibbling, no re-charge.
Insurers generally define a storm by wind speeds around 55mph or more, assessing claims against verified weather data for the date and location.
— ABI storm definition
We work fast to stop the water — the priority is protecting your home. The make-safe is temporary; we return to complete a permanent, guaranteed repair. You do not need to stay home for external work - we just need power and access agreed in advance.
We attend in all weather for make-safe; the permanent repair is scheduled for suitable conditions. Norfolk’s exposure to north-easterly gales off the North Sea, and Wensum valley humidity, drive wind-lifted tiles and slower autumn drying.
Photograph all visible damage from safe ground level before anything is moved, mitigate further damage by containing water and moving possessions, and call us for 2-4 hour make-safe. Then notify your insurer promptly, quoting the date.
We aim to be on site within 2-4 hours, 24/7, with make-safe from £150. This stops water ingress before it damages ceilings and possessions. The permanent repair is quoted separately and the make-safe cost credited against it.
Yes, as standard. We photograph the damage in position and provide a written assessment linking it to the specific weather event, cross-referenced to Met Office data for your postcode — exactly the evidence insurers require.
Insurers generally define a storm by wind speeds around 55mph or more and assess claims against verified weather data for the date and location. Gradual wear and poor maintenance are excluded, which is why dated documentation matters.
North-easterly gales sweep off the North Sea from October to March across flat Norfolk landscape with little to slow them. They lift ridge caps, loosen nail-sick tiles and blow out lead flashings — the wind direction that does most damage here.
For larger claims your insurer may appoint a loss adjuster, who works for the insurer, not you. Our independent written assessment with photographs gives you a solid basis for the claim. If their figure is low, you can request a line-by-line explanation.
The make-safe is usually claimable and is credited against the permanent repair we carry out. We itemise both to match what your insurer needs, so the documentation supports a fair settlement.
Yes. Once the claim is approved we complete the permanent repair, matching materials to your Norwich property — period pantile, Welsh slate or concrete tile — backed by our 10-year workmanship guarantee. Call 0160 339 6191.
Free survey, written quote and a 10-year workmanship guarantee. Call now — no call-out fee.
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